Family says Iraq changed Texas soldier charged in explosives case

MICHELLE ROBERTS

Published
7:00 pm CDT, Thursday, April 19, 2007

Associated Press Writer

Sgt. Paul Miles' family knew something was different about him when he came back from Iraq. The Eagle Scout and former church missionary was jumpy. Behind the wheel, he would suddenly drive as if under attack. Later they would learn he built a bomb and used it to damage a statue of the Virgin Mary. Then, he killed a cat.

Ultimately, the 22-year-old National Guardsman was arrested in November on federal charges, accused of building explosives in his apartment, and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, or manic depression. He could get 10 years in prison.

Thousands of soldiers and Marines who served in Iraq and Afghanistan are believed to have been damaged psychologically by the experience. Whether the 22-year-old Miles is one of them _ whether he was unhinged by the war, as his family suspects, and a psychiatrist who examined him says is possible _ is not clear.

But Miles' father wants authorities to take his Norman Rockwell youth and service record into consideration.

"I'd love for them to use some discretion," Curtis Miles said. "That's a pretty harsh sentence to mess his life up for the rest of his life for bad decision-making that resulted from him coming home from Iraq."

The prosecutor on the case said he cannot simply let Miles go.

"I'm not in a position to give him a pass," said John Ratcliffe. "There is no `service exception'" for criminal activity, he said, adding: "It could be argued that anyone who makes explosive devices and blows up personal property has mental issues."

Miles' family and supporters say his prewar life never hinted at violence.

In addition to achieving Boy Scouts' highest rank and serving as a church missionary, Miles volunteered at a center for mentally retarded adults, padding his skinny frame to play Santa Claus at Christmas parties.

He joined the National Guard in 2001 and volunteered for Iraq duty so his comrades with families could stay home, according to his father.

To aid in his Iraq service, Miles learned some Arabic and studied Iraqi culture. He was awarded an Army commendation medal, in part for using his language skills to defuse a tense situation between his patrol and an Iraqi wedding party in June 2005.

"Sgt. Miles has an enduring positive attitude. … His professional conduct and mannerism provides a contagious motivation and aids in elevating the morale of his fellow soldiers," his company commander, Capt. Christopher Walter, wrote in the recommendation for the honor.

Miles was a gunner and security guard in Iraq, and his war experience wasn't unusual for service in Iraq, where monotony is punctuated with life-threatening attacks.

During one convoy mission, Miles' unit was hit with an explosive device. No one was wounded, but when the soldiers circled back to retrieve a gun turret that had been blown off, a fellow soldier killed two insurgents, said Miles' attorney, James "Wes" Volberding.

When he returned home, he went right back to school in January 2006 at Stephen F. Austin State University in the East Texas town of Nacogdoches. He was beginning to make his friends nervous.

Uncharacteristically, he talked a lot about going to bars, even while on a church mission trip, and "was sending very ugly e-mails _ violent, hate-filled e-mails _ and going to bad Web sites," according to his lawyer.

Miles and his roommate detonated a bomb at the base of a Virgin Mary statue, according to police and Miles' lawyer. In October, Miles killed a stray kitten for kicks. Then, Miles assaulted his roommate, police said. When police arrived, they found a bomb in the closet.

He was rambling nonsensically, saying things like "I don't want the cops to die. I needed new boots," and was taken to a psychiatric hospital, according to records.

Dr. Gregory Seal, the psychiatrist who treated Miles right after his arrest, diagnosed the soldier as bipolar, and he was given therapy and medication.

Bipolar disorder, characterized by episodes of depression and manic behavior, often shows up in people in their teens or early 20s. Victims probably have a genetic predisposition, but life experiences, including stressful events, can trigger its onset, experts say. In can lead to suicide or violence.

The American Psychological Association estimates 30 percent of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from a mental disorder, with some cases mild and others requiring heavy medication.

Miles is in jail, awaiting a court-ordered psychiatric evaluation.

Volberding, who declined to allow Miles to be interviewed, conceded it is not clear whether war duty directly led to Miles' illness, but he and the soldier's family said his service ought to be taken into consideration and he shouldn't go to prison.

"It is discouraging that in an age when we are seeking young men to step forward and serve their country at great peril, that the same government isn't more accommodating to his present needs," Volberding said.